The subject of Biochemistry has been taught to pharmacy students at the graduate level. Its importance in understanding disease phenomena, action of drugs, use of many biochemicals in medicine etc. have prompted the inclusion of this subject for study.
Biochemistry is full of ‘cyclic’ processes, particularly in intermediate metabolism. Some of the important pathways have been given both in descriptive form and also with structures, enzymes and co-factors involved and names of intermediates. It is hoped that the student will be able to assimilate these complex phenomena, with the help of this repetition. Brief reference has been made to biosynthetic approaches to some biochemicals, to indicate how interference in such processes is an important mechanism of drug action.
The chapter of excretion has been expanded to review drug metabolism or detoxication. This is only a brief overview, but with more than one example for each of the processes. This is intended to give flexibility to the teachers and students in choosing examples according to their desire and not go in search of literature for other examples. This topic is also intended to provide material for undergraduate students. The chapter on pathology of blood and urine is included as required by the ER 91 syllabus. Some of the topics in this chapter, particularly hematology, are better learnt along with other related topics in human physiology. However, serum and urine analysis are more appropriate in the subject of biochemistry.
In the organisation of the text, italic type has been used for enzymes, biochemicals and drugs; underlining has been used for medical terms and diseases; bold type has been used for topic headings. Reader should take advantage of this, for quick location and recognition of keywords. A sub-topic has been given numeric para code, derived from this chapter. For example 7.3.1.1 refers to chapter 7 (Vitamins), topic 3 (chemistry and role), sub-topic 1 (fat-soluble) and item 1 (vitamin A). The index is divided into (1) medical terms and (2) general. Slight overlap may be found in respect of some words, but otherwise they are complimentary and not repetitive. In both the indices, numeric code referred above is given, not the page numbers. Revision questions have been included separately and purposely at the end of the main text chapters, to induce a student to practice answering these chapterwise, as part of general revision. Adequate number of questions of both long and short answer type, have been included to serve as a question bank also.